Royal Ascot: Duke of Edinburgh Stakes

The Duke of Edinburgh Stakes is a flat handicap over 1 mile 3 furlongs and 211 yards open to horses of three-year-old and up. The race was previously known as the Bessborough Stakes and was named after John George Brabazon Ponsonby, 5th Earl of Bessborough, who was Master of the Buckhounds on three occasions between 1848 and 1858 under Lord John Russell, Lord Aberdeen and Lord Palmerston. The first race under the original name of the Bessborough Stakes, was a five-furlong race for two-year-olds run on Tuesday 16th June 1914. The title was later bestowed on a mile and a half handicap race at the same meeting. In 1999 the race was renamed in honour of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, although the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes had previously been used for a two-year-old race at Ascot, with Sea Pigeon a former winner who later landed the Champion Hurdle.
Early history:- The inaugural running of the Bessborough Stakes, a forerunner of the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes, was over 5 furlongs on Tuesday 16th June 1914 when Mr W Astor's Good and Gay (100/8) defeated Rossendale (10/1), Scotch Rose (100/6) and 13 others by a head and 2 lengths.
Bessborough Stakes 1988 Handicap 1 mile 4 furlongs
Pos. Horse Jockey Trainer Owner
1 VOUCHSAFE Willie Carson Major Dick Hern Lady Beaverbrook 12/1
2 RAMBO DANCER Pat Eddery Sir Michael Stoute Mana Al Maktoum 10/1
3 STAVORDALE Michael Roberts H Thomson Jones Mrs H Thomson Jones 25/1
4 PLYMOUTH HOE Steve Cauthen Chris Wall A G Baker 5/1
5 QANNAAS Richard Hills H Thomson Jones Hamdan Al Maktoum 12/1
6 STEP IN TIME Gary Bardwell Peter Makin M Weinfield 25/1
7 SANAMAR Ernie Johnson John Hills Robert Sangster 33/1
8 SONG OF SIXPENCE Tony Ives Ian Balding Mr Paul Mellon 10/1
9 ISLAND SET Ray Cochrane Luca Cumani J A C Drake 9/2
10 BILLET Billy Newnes Henry Candy Derek Anderson 7/2 fav
11 FOUR STAR THRUST John Lowe Richard Whitaker Mrs Jean Turner 14/1
12 SAMHAAN Michael Hills Ben Hanbury Dr Omar Zawawi 14/1
13 THE FROZEN NORTH Simon Whitworth Mrs Jenny Pitman J Bernstein 33/1
14 THIN RED LINE Geoff Baxter John Jenkins Anthony F Tunstall 50/1
15 FREEBY'S PREACHER T Quinn Clive Brittain Sarif & Co Ltd 50/1
16 DEBACH DELIGHT Philip Robinson Mark Tompkins James Miller 50/1
17 SNOWSDOWN G Hills Martin Pipe Mrs M Palmer 50/1
The Bessborough Stakes, forerunner of the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes, took place on Wednesday 15th June 1988 and the winner was a bay horse by Bustino out of Gracious Consent, won a first prize of £11,632 (equivalent to £32,000 in 2020).. Over round 126%
Duke of Edinburgh Stakes Handicap 1 mile 4 furlongs 1914
        1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919
1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929
1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939
1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949
1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959
1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969
1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979
1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988